Alex Mayfield is throwing himself into the upcoming race for Austin City Council.

Mayfield filed for the second ward race earlier this month.

“I want to help influence the decisions of the local government,” he said.

Mayfield moved to Austin in 2002. Before that, he lived in Waseca and in Steel County. After graduating from Austin High School in 2007, Mayfield attended Riverland Community College from 2007 to 2009, then Minnesota State University in Mankato from 2009 until 2012, and went back to Riverland Community College. He hopes to earn his degree in political science from Mankato State University.

Mayfield ran unsuccessfully for city council in 2012 against Council Member Janet Anderson for the city’s at-large council seat. Anderson beat Mayfield 6,897 votes to 2,391.

Yet Mayfield has found several issues he hopes to get involved with, from keeping taxes low to improving the city’s small business climate.

He hopes the city can keep taxes where they currently are, if not lower. He also hopes the city can welcome more businesses into Austin.

“I just want to make certain that we have enough friendly business relations,” he said. “Hormel is wonderful, but we need smaller businesses, smaller businesses that are just as important to our local economy.”

Mayfield also said he supports the Spam Museum’s relocation to downtown Austin, as it will bring more tourism to the area, but he’s concerned about parking for the new museum.

“Parking downtown is scarce as it is,” he said. “You’re putting a major tourist attraction in the middle of the city.”

Mayfield is employed under Specialty Personnel Services Inc. He faces David Hagen, Marvin Repinski and Brian Staska in an Aug. 12 primary to run for Council Member Roger Boughton’s seat in November. Boughton announced last month that he would not seek another term.